60Patrol

Howdy,

I'll admit out of the gate that this is only marginally Patrol related, but Jay and Barritt have announced that they want to build a go kart -- I added "from scratch" of course -- It's always more fun the hard way! I've always wanted to make one, so they struck a nerve! I have PLENTY of time to add another project, right?

Anyway, I've always wanted a tubing bender but really don't know much about them aside from pipe benders are not what I need. Real benders seem to be silly expensive -- and you still need to buy dies! Ouch! What kind of tubing benders would you recommend? Any moderately easy, inexpensive, Do It Yourself (DIY) bender ideas?

Besides, I'd like to use a tubing bender for:
- A roll bar
- A heavy, cool, brush bar
- The missing parts on my soft top frame
- Super awesome swingset
- Another cargo bike
- And ???

Thoughts?

John

My 2 cents:


Rent a hydraulic bender for the go-cart project, or for whenever the need arises. The cheapest "hobby" bender I've seen is the MB 900 from Mittler Brothers, and it's $1200 (silly expensive is an understatement); but you can usually rent an MB900 (or equivalent) for about $100 for a full day..

If you are planning to build a decent roll bar or bull bar, then you will need something with real power to bend it (after all - if it was easy to bend, then it would probably make a pretty crappy rollbar )

Every time I have had the need to bend some serious (125 wall or thicker) tubing, I have always just drawn out the pieces and the radiuses I needed, and found a shop to do it for me (they usually charge 10-12 bucks per bend)

The tubing bender that i use is made by Williams Low Buck tools in Northern California. It lists for only $510.00 with one die. it is small and compact and very useful around the place. I have built many roll bars and cages with it.

Here is an example of the bends that I was able to accomplish with the williams low buck tools bender.

Very nice!
I just checked out lowbuck's site -- Down in sunny Norco, CA -- Cool stuff! I wanna go on a shopping spree!

John

They do have some cool things for sale.